LETTER: Vote Lisa Peterson for Salem’s Ward 3 councilor

Wednesday

Oct 18, 2017 at 11:50 PMOct 19, 2017 at 12:17 AM

I moved to Barnes Road in Ward 3 in September 2014 after living in South Salem most of my life. One of the neighborhood issues I learned about immediately was a proposed Cineplex development on Highland Avenue.

In November of 2015, shortly after the current Ward 3 City Councilor was elected, I went to my first big community meeting at Salem High School, where the developer of this project unveiled his plans. The library at the high school was packed with at least 150 confused and angry neighbors who were looking for a leader that night and never found one.

Councilor Lovely took office and no neighborhood meetings were held despite my neighbors asking him to arrange for one. After two years of feeling that, Ward 3 lacked leadership and communication, I found that leader in January and her name is Lisa Peterson. For that reason Lisa Peterson will get my vote for Ward 3 City Councilor on November 7th.

When I first met Lisa at a community meeting I was impressed by how friendly and approachable she is. Since then I have seen her advocate for residents of Ward 3 and their issues with strength, passion and commitment

Lisa is the best choice: she cares deeply about the people she wishes to represent and the issues they bring to her attention. Lisa proactively reaches out to learn our concerns for our families and our homes. Ward 3 is diverse and geographically spread out, we have residents who own homes, condominiums, and others who live in low income housing. I have seen Lisa talk with residents in each of these settings. She is comfortable speaking with everyone on every issue and treats all of us with respect because she sees our humanity and cares about our concerns. Lisa is a great listener and will always look to be part of, or create the solution.

Lisa is the person I contact now if I need to know something about Ward 3.Throughout her campaign she has communicated important Ward 3 information to many residents through social media and she pledges to continue communicating to residents of the ward through email notices and community meetings.

At a time when the world, and Salem, are so divided, she is kind of person we so desperately need to represent us. The team of volunteers that has come together to support Lisa not only represents the diversity we have in Ward 3 but speaks to the character of Lisa. She seeks to build community through collaboration. We work side by side to make our ward better - homeowners and renters, college students, families and retirees, residents who are middle income, working class and low income. Lisa Peterson treats all of our concerns with respect and sees our differences as our strengths.

If you want Ward 3 to have someone on the City Councilor who will represent all of us, communicate with us equally and who will be a unifying voice, vote for Lisa Peterson on Nov. 7. She has the skills, qualities and heart to best represent our ward on the Salem City Council. - Lorelee Stewart, Barnes Rd